2022: A year in demolition quotes part 2

July 2022: Decommissioning power plants

The second half of the year saw energy prices and inflation rates around the world soar.

Bill Hladick, Mississippi Valley decommissioning programme manager, Wood plc. (Photo: Wood plc)

While public attention was primarily focused on the profits oil and gas companies were making, for those working with the energy companies to decommission power plants and rigs, safety and recycling were among the key topics of conversation. As Bill Hladick explained in D&Ri’s extended dismantling and decommissioning feature.

“There is a troubling trend from a safety perspective for fatalities and incidents on power plant projects, which is not good.

“[But] there are a a lot of people in fact in the US National Demolition Association who are steadfast in their convictions to help bring the industry up on the safety standpoint.”

—Bill Hladick, Mississippi Valley decommissioning programme manager, Wood plc, USA. 

Also in July, US-based Independence Excavating highlighted the important role that recycling has to play in the decommissioning power generation sites. Read the full interview here.

“I think there are a lot of opportunities to recycle from decommissioning power plants.

Doug Thomas vice president project management, Independence Excavating, USA. (Photo: Independence Excavating)

“On most of our jobs – maybe all our jobs – you can see recycling rates well over 90%, because of all the things you can do with the metals and alloys, and certainly because of everything you can do with the concrete.

“To put concrete into a landfill or just a fill is not as effective, but if you can crush it and use it as road base, or as back fill within the site, it is really beneficial.”

—Doug Thomas, vice president project management, Independence Excavating, USA.

August 2022: Inflation and profits

Just like equipment manufacturers were poised to experience a period of rapid growth in the electric equipment market, the drive to lower carbon emissions and improve sustainability also led many in the C&D waste sector to anticipate similar growth in the recycling market. 

Ward Demolition won the prize for best demolition project in the urban demolition under US$10 million category at the 2022 World Demolition Awards. (Photo: Ward Demolition)

However, as Peter Ward, managing director at Ward Demolition explained in D&Ri’s article: C&D waste recycling – 5 key factors in chasing the 100% dream, recycling operations can be particularly sensitive to even the smallest of inflation rises, let alone the large ones seen in 2022.

“Rising costs really changes the dynamics of your recycling, because where it was making money last week this week it’s not making any money at all. It’s a very convoluted path.

“If you look at plastics, and that’s only a handful of the items being recycled, one of the places that used to take the stuff is full to the brim.

“We have issues with shipping, with support and the cost of it. I’ve probably got more questions than answers.”

—Peter Ward, managing director, Ward Demolition, New Zealand. 

While a difficult economic climate often sees many firms put off larger investments, companies like Sirius Group in the UK continued to spend in order to improve efficiency, as a way of reducing costs. 

“We’ve just taken delivery of 15 new Kobelco machines which are all fitted with Sitech Trimble technology because machine control helps us to make efficiencies in all areas.

“There’s less supervision needed, operators can see exactly where they are on site.”

—Stuart Kirk, plant director, Sirius Group, United Kingdom.

September 2022: New ways of working

While the financial squeeze had been developing for some time - and is set to continue for some time yet, the cumlination of several factors led to parties on all areas of industry look to new ways of approaching business to ensure their long term profitability.

In his article, ‘8 tips for ‘navigating the unexpected’ in demolition‘, demolition specialist Richard Vann of RVA Group elaborates. 

Richard Vann, managing director at RVA Group. (Photo: RVA)

“We have long talked about the importance of a tripartite alliance between client, contractor, and someone like us, acting as the independent consultant.

“A contractor may be able to prove the capabilities of a new machine that could help complete the project quicker and safer, for instance. Or there may be advanced waste management experience that would strengthen the environmental credentials of a methodology.

“Whether new ideas are harnessed at the outset, or fresh information is gathered as the project unfolds, each party forms an essential part of the team.”

—Richard Vann, managing director, RVA Group, United Kingdom.

Robert Piasecki, managing partner, Rokla. (Photo: Rokla)

In an interview with D&Ri that same month, Robert Piasecki, managing partner at Rokla, also spoke about new ways of working. Read the full interview here.

“We want to make a good sale, a reasonable sale, rather than a fast one. It is better for the long-term relationship. So I ask [the customer]: What can I do better for you?”

—Robert Piasecki, managing partner, Rokla, Germany.

October 2022: Flexibility first and foremost

Jim Umpleby, Caterpillar CEO. (Photo: Cat)

When major OEM Caterpillar came to consider the question of its CEO succession plan, the company thought outside the box. Read the full article here.

“Waiving the mandatory retirement policy for Jim [Umpleby] provides the board greater flexibility with its CEO succession process.”

—Debra Reed-Klages, presiding director, Caterpillar, USA.

Meanwhile, South African contractor Jet Demolition faced a challenging contract - one of the biggest of its kind - thousands of miles away in India.

The company took down two 100-metre-tall skyscrapers near the country’s capital, in a spectacular feat of precision demolition. Watch the video here and find out more about the project details here.

“Despite being nervous about the implosion [of the Supertech twin towers in Noida, near New Delhi], we and our partner Edifice Engineering were welcomed and supported by the local community, who entrusted their homes and livelihoods to us.”

—Joe Brinkmann, director, Jet Demolition, South Africa.

November 2022: Reflections from Bauma

Bauma 2022, the world’s largest construction trade fair, took place in Munich, Germany in the final week of October, so the penultimate month of the year gave the organiser and exhibitors alike the chance to reflect on the event - which took place away from its usual April slot after being postponed earlier in the year due to ongoing issues with Covid-19.

“After the world fundamentally changed following the last Bauma, we’re really thrilled that Bauma 2022 demonstrates the trade fair remains a powerhouse of the construction-equipment industry thanks to our customers’ great variety of innovations, good business deals and many visitors from all over the world.”

—Stefan Rummel, CEO, Messe Műnchen, Germany.

As the last Bauma exhibition had taken place in 2019 - before start of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, no one was quite sure what to expect in terms of crowd numbers for the 2022 equipment show. 

Keestrack’s B7e zero drive jaw crusher. (Photo: D&Ri)

However, with Net Zero and sustainability a primary focus for pretty much every contractor in Europe, it was no surprise that “electrification” was again a key theme at Bauma 2022, which in the end attracted almost half a million visitors.

“At this point electric drive systems are the greenest and most effective options on the market, as they are more efficient than conventional hydraulic systems.

“But it also makes the end-user less dependent on a specific engine supplier.”

—Kees Hoogendoorn, group president, Keestrack, Belgium. 

Robert Husar, mini excavator product line director, Doosan Bobcat EMEA. (Photo: Doosan Bobcat)

December 2022: Milestones past and present

The end of a year is always a good time to put down a marker for future development.

Doosan Bobcat EMEA was no exception, as mini excavator product specialist Robert Husar showed when he spoke to D&Ri.

“The key market driver in mini excavators has been Stage V engine emissions, which required a significant amount of engineering resources.

“Customer requirements differ, but the focus is on operator comfort and safe machine operation.”

—Robert Husar, mini excavator product line director, Doosan Bobcat EMEA, Czech Republic.

And what better note to go out on than to celebrate a big birthday for a true pioneer, who is still involved in the business more than 60 years after setting up his company?

Toni Kiesel, managing partner of Kiesel Group. (Photo: Kiesel)

Here is Toni Kiesel of German family business Kiesel Group, talking about his father Helmut.

“My father [Helmut Kiesel, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday] burns for his cause every day.

“He has the absolute customer focus and stands up unconditionally for his company, because it is his life’s work and the centre of his life.”

—Toni Kiesel, managing partner, Kiesel Group, Germany.